Patent GB-779939-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in sheet collating machines
IPC: B65H39/042
Filed: 1955-10-06
Abstract: 779,939. Feeding sheets; sheet delivery apparatus. CUMMINGTON CORPORATION. Oct. 6, 1955 [Oct. 6, 1954], No. 28542/55. Class 100(1) A collating machine comprises means for supporting a plurality of stacks of sheets aligned in spaced relation, vertically reciprocable means for withdrawing the supported sheet from each stack and for supporting the same in a vertically suspended position and with the suspended sheets in parallel relation and in alignment in one direction, a travelling platform movable in a horizontal plane in that direction arranged to engage successive suspended sheets to move them to a horizontal position on the platform while restrained by the withdrawing means, and with each sheet disposed on the previously engaged sheet, and means for successively releasing the sheets from their respective withdrawing means in timed relationship to the movement of the platform. Sheet separators; pile supports: A plurality of stacks of sheets 10 (Fig. 1) to be collated are supported in magazines 12 removably mounted in a framework 14 secured between the side frames 16, 18 of the machine. A plurality of suction units: 20 are mounted for vertical reciprocationin a frame 41 between the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and that shown in dotted lines, each unit 20 comprising three suction cups 28 (Fig. 4) transversely mounted in a pipe 30. Each pipe 30 communicates with a pipe 32 carried by a U-shaped bracket 36 pivotally mounted in the frame 41. The pipe 32 is connected to a flexible tube 42 in turn connected to a source of suction. Also fixed to the tube 30 and bracket 36 is a tube 34 which communicates with a flexible pipe 138 connected to a source of air pressure. The tube 34 supplies air to an adjustable blower nozzle 136 to assist in separation of the sheets. The frame 41 is connected to the upper end of an elevator 56 by a bracket 52. The elevator is reciprocated by a lever 72 pivoted at 74 and oscillated by co-operation of a roller 76 with a cam 78 (Fig. 2) fixed on a shaft 80 driven through a suitable arrangement including a shaft 86, from a motor 82. As each unit 20 is pivotally mounted it may be rocked by a slide member 98 having portions 100 which engage the pipes 32, 34. The slide member 98 is normally urged by a spring 106 to a position in which the suction units 20 are in their raised position. An arm 112 fixed to a shaft 114 engages the slide 98 the other end of the shaft 114 carrying a second arm 118 adapted to engage a slot 120 formed in a shaft 122. The shaft 122 is arranged to be reciprocated horizontally in bearings 124 by a link 124 connected to a lever 126 pivoted at 74 and operated by a cam 134 on the shaft 80. In operation the suction head is lowered by the slide 56 until the arm 118 engages the slot 120 when the shaft 122 is moved to the right in Fig. 1 to lower the suckers 28 into engagement with the uppermost sheet of the piles 10, a further downward movement of the frame 41 serving to cause the suckers to slide the top sheets part-way under weighted clips 156 (Fig. 6) including sheet engaging edge portions 158 provided on the magazines 12. The slide member 28 is then operated to raise the suckers 28 so as to flex the gripped sheet and allow it, on the raising of the frame 41, to be effectively separated from the stack. The suction units 20 are thus returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 with the separated sheets hanging substantially vertically therefrom. In an alternative arrangement (Fig. 15 not shown) the units 20 may be rocked by transverse bars on pivoted members which are connected for operation in unison and which are operated by engagement of a key on one of them with a suitably positioned stop-member. Faulty separation detector: In the event that the units 20 do not all successfully grasp a sheet the resulting reduced suction in the main conduit supplying the units allows an electric switch to close thus operating a solenoid to open a valve in the suction path to atmosphere so that all suction is destroyed and the other units 20 redeposit the sheets they have grasped on the pile 10. Sheet carriers: Between the side frames 16, 18 endless chains 24 run on sprockets 91, 93, 95 and 97. The chains support transverse rods 99 which form a platform 22 for the separated sheets and they are driven by the sprocket 91 on the shaft 86. The platform 22 is provided with a stop member 25 and as it moves from right to left in Fig. 1 it picks up the sheets from the units 20 in the correct sequential order each sheet lying on top of the one previously picked up by the platform. As the end of the sheet held by the suckers 28 approaches the stop 25 the sucker is arranged to release the sheet. To this end each of the units 20 is connected to a hollow collar 176 surrounding a pipe 170 the upper end of which is open to the atmosphere. In the pipe 170 slides a rod 178 to which are connected valve members 46 and 180. The pipe 170 is connected to the main source of suction 182 so that as long as one of the collars 176 is located between the valve member 46 and the source 182 suction will be applied to the appropriate unit 20, The device is reciprocated in unison with the elevator 56 but a separate cam 200 is provided on the shaft 80 to control the reciprocating movement of the rod 178 in such a manner that after elevation of the units 20 with the sheets the rod 178 is lowered so that the valve 46 passes successive collars 176 thus opening them to the atmosphere. When the elevator is next lowered suction is re-applied by the raising of the valve 46 relative to the collars 176.. In an alternative arrangement the suction control device is mounted horizontally in a fixed position; movement of the valve members 46, 180 being effected by cam means in timed relation to but independently of the movement of the elevator (Fig. 11, not shown). The sheets collected on the platform 22 are ejected against a guide 214 on to a receiver 26. Receivers: delivery in counted batches: The receiver 26 comprises an adjustably inclined table 212 and adjustable side guides 226, 229 (Fig. 9). Slide members 220 having sheet correcting surfaces are provided in the table 212. In the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9 a group of sheets after ejection from the platform 22 comes to rest in the position indicated by dot and dash lines with the bottom edge against the right hand slide member 220 and a fixed stop 231. The slide members 220 are then moved to the right by means of a cable 242 connected to a cam-operated lever 266 (Fig. 2), so that the left hand slide member 220 engages the left hand edge of the group and pushes it towards the corner 225 formed in the'side guide 226, as shown in full lines in Fig. 9. The slide members then perform a slight reciprocating movement so as to jog the sheets properly into the corner 225. The slide members remain in their right hand position until the next group of sheets arrives which abut the left hand slide member 220 and a fixed stop 231. The slide members then move to the left to move the sheets into the corner 227 formed in the left hand guide 229. The sheets are thus separated into batches a slot 237 being provided in the table 212 so that any group may be manually removed. The slides 220 are adjustable in slots 286 and are locked in adjusted position by nuts 288. The slides 220 are spring-biased towards each other and inward movement thereof is limited by stop members 238, 240. The cable 242 carries a collar 244 adapted to engage depending lugs on the slide members through which the cable passes. The lever 266 is controlled by a cam 272 so that the cable moves to the right or left in alternative cycles of the machine. The cam 272 is therefore rotated at a half the speed of the shaft 80. The jogging of the slide members is effected by portions 273, 275 on the cam 272.